to-morrow."

I was hurried along by the crowd to the court, a hundred different
advisers whispering their various counsels in my ears as I went.

"Take care of his lunge in tierce,--mind that," cried one.

"Push him outside the arm,--outside, remember; take my advice, young
man," said an old sous-officier,--"close on him at once, take his point
where he gives it, and make sure of your own weapon."

"No bad plan either," cried two or three. "Monsieur Auguste is right;
Francois can't bear the cold steel, and if he sees it close, he loses
his head altogether."

The courtyard was already cleared for action; the horses picketed in one
corner, the straw removed, and a blaze of light from all the lamps and
candles of the supper-room showed the ground as clearly as at noonday.
While my antagonist was taking off his coat and vest,--an operation
I did not choose to imitate,--I took a rapid survey of the scene,
and notwithstanding the rush of advisers around me, was sufficiently
collected to decide on my mode of acting.

"Come, mon lieutenant, off with your frock," said an officer at my side;
"even if you don't care for the advantage of a free sword-arm, those
fellows yonder won't believe it all fair, if you do not strip."

"Yes, yes, take it off," said a fellow in the crowd, "your fine
epaulettes may as well escape tarnishing; and that new coat, too, will
be all the better without a hole in it."

I hastily threw off my coat and waistcoat, when the crowd fell back, and
the maitre d'armes advancing into the open space with a light and nimble
step, cried out, "En garde, Monsieur!" I stood my ground, and crossed my
sword with his.

For a few seconds I contented myself with merely observing my adversary,
who handled his weapon not only with all the skill of an accomplished
swordsman, but with a dexterity that showed me he was playing off his
art before his companions.

As if to measure his distance, he made two or three slight passes over
the guard of my sword, and then grating his blade against mine with that
peculiar motion which bodes attack, he fixed his eyes on mine, to draw
off my attention from his intended thrust. The quickness and facility
with which his weapon changed from side to side of mine, the easy motion
of his wrist, and the rigid firm ness of his arm, all showed me I was
no match for him,--although one of the best of my day at the military
school,--and I did not venture to proceed beyond mere defence. He s